Vegetables HORTICULTURAL MU Guide PUBLISHED BY MU EXTENSION, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA extension.missouri.edu

Eggplant Production Lewis W. Jett, Division of Plant Sciences

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is a member of the family Solanaceae and is botanically related to tomato, pepper and potato. Eggplants are native to India and China but were introduced to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region by Arabic traders. Botany: Eggplants produce a bushy, vigorous plant with large leaves, woody stems and attractive flowers. Some eggplant cultivars can reach a height of 4.5 feet. Eggplants have a deep taproot, which helps them tolerate dry weather. Flowers are open for two to three days and are self-pollinated. However, bees may improve both pollination and yield of eggplant. Fruits vary in size and shape, from round to bell-shaped, oval or elongated. Oriental or Japanese eggplant cultivars have elongated fruit. The fruit surface of eggplant is smooth and glossy. Fruit color can be yellow, green, Figure 1. Eggplant fruit varies in shape, color and size. white, purple, black, violet or various combinations of Table 1. Suggested eggplant cultivars. these colors (Figure 1, Table 1). Before choosing an eggplant cultivar for commer- Days to Cultivar Fruit color Fruit shape harvest cial production, make sure there is a market demand Calliope White/purple Oval 64 for that particular type of eggplant. Some consumers prefer specific shapes, colors and sizes of eggplants. Casper White Bell-shaped 70 Transplant production: Eggplants are most success- Classic Purple Elongated 76 fully established as transplants. Start with good quality Dusky Purple/black Bell-shaped 56 seed, and sow the seed for transplants 8 to 10 weeks Epic Purple/black Bell-shaped 65 before the anticipated planting date. Eggplants can suf- Purple/white Fairy Tale Elongated 65 fer transplant shock, so using a larger container size (2 stripes inches or larger) to grow the transplant will be help- Ghostbuster White Oval-shaped 80 ful. A starter solution containing phosphorus should be Ichiban Purple Elongated 60 applied to each newly transplanted eggplant. Little Fingers Purple Elongated 65 Planting date: Eggplants thrive in warm, dry Millionaire Purple/black Elongated 55 weather but are more sensitive to low temperature Nadia Purple/black Oval-shaped 65 injury than tomatoes and peppers. Therefore, eggplants Orient Charm Pink/white Elongated 65 need to be transplanted after all risk of frost has passed. Rosa Bianca Violet/white Round 73 Eggplants respond favorably to being grown on plas- (Italian heirloom) tic mulch with drip irrigation. Black plastic mulch will Santana Purple/black Oval-shaped 80 accelerate crop growth because it keeps the root zone Tango White Cylindrical 60 warm. For later plantings, white plastic mulch can be used. In Missouri, transplanting date depends on geo- Table 2. Suggested planting dates for eggplant in Missouri. graphical location within the state (Table 2). Location Planting dates Planting and fertilization: Choose a well-drained Northern Missouri 5/15–6/15 soil for planting eggplants. Although eggplants are Central Missouri 5/10–6/15 deep-rooted, they do not grow well in poorly drained Southern Missouri 5/1–6/25 soil. The soil pH should be 6.0 to 7.0 for optimum

$. 25 G 6369 Printed on recycled paper Figure 2. Staked eggplant plants with growing fruit. Figure 3. Staking eggplants improves marketable yield and quality. growth. Plants can be spaced 18 to 36 inches apart with harvest regularly reduces flower formation and fruit rows 4 to 5 feet apart. Eggplant can also be planted yield. Eggplants can yield 500 to 700 bushels (33 lb/ in twin rows with 18 to 36 inches between plants and bushel) per acre. between rows on raised beds 3 to 4 feet apart on center. Eggplants are tender and should be handled care- Sixty pounds of nitrogen per acre should be applied fully. Eggplants can be stored for up to one week at 55 to the soil before planting with all the recommended degrees F and 90 to 95 percent relative humidity. Do phosphorus and potassium applied based on a recent not store eggplants lower than 50 degrees. soil test. If the eggplants are not being grown on plastic Insect management: Insects are one of the most mulch, an additional 40 to 60 pounds of nitrogen per significant pests of eggplants. Cucumber beetle, Col- acre can be side dressed at first flowering (three weeks orado potato beetle and flea beetle are particularly after transplanting). If plastic mulch and drip irriga- problematic in Missouri. Immediately after transplant- tion are being used, 10 pounds of nitrogen per acre can ing, scout plants for insect damage. Most significant be injected into the drip irrigation system per week for damage on yield and quality of eggplant occurs from four weeks, starting one week after transplanting. Irri- early-season damage. Flea beetles chew small holes gation may be needed through the production season in the leaves of eggplants but do not feed on the fruit to supplement natural rainfall. (Figure 4). Cucumber beetles and Colorado potato Staking: Like tomatoes and peppers, eggplants should be staked for optimum growth and yield (Fig- ure 2). Staking keeps the eggplant fruit from touching the ground, which reduces disease and improves fruit shape, particularly on elongated fruit. Staking also makes harvesting easier. Eggplants can be staked like tomatoes, placing a wooden stake 1 inch thick and 48 a b to 60 inches long between every other plant in a row. Figure 4. (a) Cucumber beetle feeding damage on eggplant String is placed along the plants and looped around leaf. (b) Flea beetle damage to eggplant. each stake to support the growing stems and fruit (Figure 3). beetles chew the leaves and can also damage the fruit. Harvest: Generally speaking, first harvest of egg- Rotate eggplants with vegetables botanically unrelated plants begins 65 to 90 days from transplanting. Egg- to eggplant. Separate eggplants from other vegetables plants should be harvested when the fruit surface is that may attract cucumber beetles and Colorado potato glossy and tender and before seeds within the fruit beetles (e.g., potatoes and cucumbers). Row covers become brown. Overmature fruit have a dull, bronze or lightweight insect-exclusion covers can be used to appearance and the seeds become bitter. Fruit should prevent these insects from feeding on the plants. For be clipped from the plant, leaving about 1 inch of stem specific information on eggplant pest management, rather than pulling the fruit from the plant. Harvest consult the Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for Com- may be done two to three times a week during peak mercial Growers (MU publication MX384). growth, depending on the fruit size desired. Failure to

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